function switchLocale(locale){    
    reloadWithQueryStringVars({"_lang": locale});
}

function reloadWithQueryStringVars (queryStringVars) {
    var existingQueryVars = location.search ? location.search.substring(1).split("&") : [],
        currentUrl = location.search ? location.href.replace(location.search,"") : location.href,
        newQueryVars = {},
        newUrl = currentUrl.replace(/#/g, "") + "?";
    if(existingQueryVars.length > 0) {
        for (var i = 0; i < existingQueryVars.length; i++) {
            var pair = existingQueryVars[i].split("=");
            newQueryVars[pair[0]] = pair[1];
        }
    }
    if(queryStringVars) {
        for (var queryStringVar in queryStringVars) {
            newQueryVars[queryStringVar] = queryStringVars[queryStringVar];
        }
    }
    if(newQueryVars) {
        for (var newQueryVar in newQueryVars) {
            newUrl += newQueryVar + "=" + newQueryVars[newQueryVar] + "&";
        }
        newUrl = newUrl.substring(0, newUrl.length-1);
        window.location.href = newUrl;
    } else {
        window.location.href = location.href;
    }
}